Overall the BMW 3 Series is an excellent car. The turbocharged four-cylinder makes the 328i quick yet frugal, achieving 28 mpg overall. A smooth and punchy 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder powers the 335i. Ride comfort, noise isolation, and fit and finish are impressive, but the rear seat is snug. Handling is very capable, but steering feel is less tactile than before. Our main qualms are about the rough engine idle and the new stop/start system which is too abrupt when restarting the engine. The M3 continue on the old platform. A hybrid sedan based on the six-cylinder turbo is new, a 320i sedan and an AWD wagon based on a four-cylinder turbo are new for 2013. First year reliability of the 328i sedan has been much above average. A 180-hp, turbodiesel four-cylinder sedan arrives late summer.
A subscription to ConsumerReports.org includes Consumer Reports road test reports (based on over 50 different tests).
BMW Blog Content
BMW Traffic Jam Assistant puts self-driving car closer than you think
All the buzz surrounding autonomous, or self-driving cars usually includes a caveat that this technology is at least 10 years away from being ready for prime time, even though Audi, Google, and Lexus have already been racking up miles and...
Siri and S-Voice to be riding shotgun soon in BMW models
BMW has announced upgrades to its ConnectedDrive suite of telematics safety and convenience features for 2014 models, including the ability to access Apple's Siri or Android S-Voice interactive features through a button on the steering wheel. ConnectedDrive will also provide...
First drive: BMW ActiveHybrid3 takes powerful rather than economical approach to hybrids
This hybrid is fast! When BMW engineers set out to design a hybrid system for the iconic 3 Series sports sedan, they wanted to break the green-car mold. And break it they did. The ActiveHybrid3 packs a ton of technology...
Personal picks: Our choices for fun convertibles
Having just tested and lived with a quartet of German roadsters, our staff has convertibles on the brain. No doubt, you've seen the road tests and know the official scores and rankings. We thought it would be fun to go...
2014 Subaru Forester is the first small SUV to ace tough new crash test
The redesigned Subaru Forester is the only small SUV out of 13 tested to earn a top score of Good in the new small overlap crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Both the Forester and...
